If you or someone you know is facing violence in a relationship, there are helplines like SOS Violence Conjugale available 24/7 at 1-800-363-9010 for immediate assistance. For those concerned about their own behavior towards their partner, PRO-GAM can be reached at 514-270-8462 to seek help.
Since the beginning of 2025, Quebec has tragically witnessed the deaths of 15 women, with nine of these cases linked to intimate partner or post-separation violence. Alarmingly, within just five weeks this year, five suspected cases of femicide have been reported across the province, prompting advocacy groups to raise urgent concerns.
Anuradha Dugal, the executive director of Women’s Shelters Canada, emphasized the heightened danger when individuals decide to leave an abusive relationship. Survivors like Amandine Grocaut, author of “Violente Tendresse,” stress the importance of recognizing warning signs and seeking help before it’s too late.
Violence survivors often endure invisible, long-lasting effects such as traumatic brain injuries from repeated abuse, including instances of strangulation and choking. Even after leaving the relationship, the threat may persist, as highlighted by Grocaut’s apprehensions about her abuser’s impending release from jail.
Support services are under strain due to increasing demand, housing insecurity, and financial pressures, prompting calls from leaders like Ruba Ghazal of Québec Solidaire for a national action plan to prevent further femicides. Despite efforts to protect survivors, there is a crucial need for more focus on educating and addressing the emotional issues of perpetrators to break the cycle of violence.
